The State government has constituted committees to look into the “fraudulent” appointments in Technical Education department along with another committee to probe a multi-crore scam in the Science and Technology department.As per an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), a Fact Finding Committee (FFC) has been constituted to look into all fraudulent appointments in the Technical Education department and autonomous bodies, corporations and organizations under the administrative control of the department from 2010-2018.The FFC, headed by Commissioner Secretary to the Government Forest, Environment and Ecology department, would submit its report by June 14.The FFC would also have Secretary Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction and Secretary to the Government Technical Education department as members.“The committee will identify those responsible for the fraudulent appointments, if any,” the GAD order states.Through another government order probe has been initiated into a multi-crore scam in Science and Technology department where guidelines of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have allegedly been changed to procure lights and equipment worth over Rs 200 crore for solar power.As per the order, a six-member inquiry committee has been constituted to examine issues relating to purchase of Model-IV Solar Home Lights instead of Model-II by the Science and Technology department and other related issues.The Principal Secretary Planning, Development and Monitoring department would head the committee while Commissioner Secretary Power Development Department, Secretary GAD, Secretary Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary Science and Technology department and representative of Principal Secretary Finance department would be the members.Interestingly, both the ministries were held by Peoples Conference (PC) Chairman Sajad Gani Lone and PC General Secretary Imran Reza Ansari with Mehbooba Mufti as chief minister of the PDP-BJP coalition government.It is alleged that undue favours were made toward M/S Maharishi Solar Technology, which had bagged the contract for supply of Solar Home Systems.The Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency under the Science and Technology department had placed orders to M/S Maharishi Solar Technology for supply and maintenance of 61,000 Solar Home Systems Model-IV for Rs 6700 per system.However, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had accorded sanction for the purchase of 84,000 Solar Home Systems Model-II only.It has been alleged that the Solar Home Systems Model-IV were purchased at higher rates to benefit M/S Maharishi Solar Technology in stark violation of the Government of India’s guidelines.The Finance department had lasted year asked the Science and Technology department to conduct the inquiry into the matter and fix the responsibilities but to no avail.The probe committee is also mandated to probe a scam in the installation of rooftop solar power plants also where tendering and other norms have been allegedly violated and work allotted without tendering process.The solar projects in question were funded under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) with Rs 200 crore being sanctioned for the Solar Street Lighting System (SSLS), Solar Home Systems Model-II and installation of roof top solar power plants.The contract for the supply of Solar Home Systems was given to M/S Maharishi Solar Technology while Solar Street Lighting System (SSLS) contract was given to M/S Social Engineering Dehradun and the rooftop solar power plants were given to 21 companies allegedly against the guidelines of the Ministry and without following the codal formalities.

The State government has constituted committees to look into the “fraudulent” appointments in Technical Education department along with another committee to probe a multi-crore scam in the Science and Technology department.As per an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), a Fact Finding Committee (FFC) has been constituted to look into all fraudulent appointments in the Technical Education department and autonomous bodies, corporations and organizations under the administrative control of the department from 2010-2018.The FFC, headed by Commissioner Secretary to the Government Forest, Environment and Ecology department, would submit its report by June 14.The FFC would also have Secretary Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction and Secretary to the Government Technical Education department as members.“The committee will identify those responsible for the fraudulent appointments, if any,” the GAD order states.Through another government order probe has been initiated into a multi-crore scam in Science and Technology department where guidelines of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have allegedly been changed to procure lights and equipment worth over Rs 200 crore for solar power.As per the order, a six-member inquiry committee has been constituted to examine issues relating to purchase of Model-IV Solar Home Lights instead of Model-II by the Science and Technology department and other related issues.The Principal Secretary Planning, Development and Monitoring department would head the committee while Commissioner Secretary Power Development Department, Secretary GAD, Secretary Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary Science and Technology department and representative of Principal Secretary Finance department would be the members.Interestingly, both the ministries were held by Peoples Conference (PC) Chairman Sajad Gani Lone and PC General Secretary Imran Reza Ansari with Mehbooba Mufti as chief minister of the PDP-BJP coalition government.It is alleged that undue favours were made toward M/S Maharishi Solar Technology, which had bagged the contract for supply of Solar Home Systems.The Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency under the Science and Technology department had placed orders to M/S Maharishi Solar Technology for supply and maintenance of 61,000 Solar Home Systems Model-IV for Rs 6700 per system.However, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had accorded sanction for the purchase of 84,000 Solar Home Systems Model-II only.It has been alleged that the Solar Home Systems Model-IV were purchased at higher rates to benefit M/S Maharishi Solar Technology in stark violation of the Government of India’s guidelines.The Finance department had lasted year asked the Science and Technology department to conduct the inquiry into the matter and fix the responsibilities but to no avail.The probe committee is also mandated to probe a scam in the installation of rooftop solar power plants also where tendering and other norms have been allegedly violated and work allotted without tendering process.The solar projects in question were funded under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) with Rs 200 crore being sanctioned for the Solar Street Lighting System (SSLS), Solar Home Systems Model-II and installation of roof top solar power plants.The contract for the supply of Solar Home Systems was given to M/S Maharishi Solar Technology while Solar Street Lighting System (SSLS) contract was given to M/S Social Engineering Dehradun and the rooftop solar power plants were given to 21 companies allegedly against the guidelines of the Ministry and without following the codal formalities.